# The US Government Requests Public Comment on Open-Source Software Security and Memory Safe Programming Languages

**URL:** <https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/the-us-government-requests-public-comment-on-open-source-software-security-and-memory-safe-programming-languages/1380>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [October 14, 2023, 12:22pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/the-us-government-requests-public-comment-on-open-source-software-security-and-memory-safe-programming-languages/1380 "2023-10-14T12:22:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![coni2k](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/coni2k/32/1336_2.png) [@coni2k](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/coni2k)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2023, 12:22pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/the-us-government-requests-public-comment-on-open-source-software-security-and-memory-safe-programming-languages/1380/1 "2023-10-14T12:22:10Z")

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In case you missed it 👇

"(The US government) is announcing a Request For Information (RFI) on open source software security and memory safe programming languages.

In addition to its many benefits, the ubiquity of open-source software in commercial products, government systems, and military platforms presents unique security risks. For this reason, the White House established an interagency working group with the goal of identifying policy solutions and channeling government resources to foster greater open-source software security across the ecosystem.

This RFI seeks public and private sector input as federal leadership develops its strategy and action plan to strengthen the open-source software ecosystem and … input from stakeholders to develop and implement long-term and sustainable policy solutions."

The deadline is November 8.

- [Press release](https://www.whitehouse.gov/oncd/briefing-room/2023/08/10/fact-sheet-office-of-the-national-cyber-director-requests-public-comment-on-open-source-software-security-and-memory-safe-programming-languages/)
- [Details](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/OS3I-RFI-Final-09232023.pdf)

Here is a related [LinkedIn post](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7117680597275131904?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop) from the Open Policy Alliance.

Last, [my humble draft](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s3zvHgbU4B19DJIowWTURvs--WHm_Q011QvnUM1ivYw/edit?usp=sharing) on proposing to establish a (scalable) public fund in the US to finance the open source ecosystem, similar to Sovereign Tech Fund. Feedback is more than welcome! 🙏

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**Author:** ![RichardLitt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/richardlitt/32/8_2.png) [@RichardLitt](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/RichardLitt)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/the-us-government-requests-public-comment-on-open-source-software-security-and-memory-safe-programming-languages/1380/2 "2023-10-25T17:28:32Z")

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I saw this, too! We’re thinking about submitting a document that I’ve been working on for the Academic working group. I’d be curious about your thoughts about it - [OSS in Academia - Google Docs](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MlS-eGW4Pl5bBiTGPJU9ExRwSA4NbRe-nKMr9nOuJc4/edit).

How do you want feedback on your draft?

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**Author:** ![coni2k](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex032/user_avatar/discourse.sustainoss.org/coni2k/32/1336_2.png) [@coni2k](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/u/coni2k)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2023, 10:32am UTC](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/the-us-government-requests-public-comment-on-open-source-software-security-and-memory-safe-programming-languages/1380/3 "2023-10-26T10:32:38Z")

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Thank you, Richard; you can share your comments on the document directly.

Let’s also mention we will have a Sustain Together call tomorrow at 1:00 pm ET (17:00 UTC) about this RFI:

> [@Sustain Together: This Friday, 1:00pm ET](https://discourse.sustainoss.org/t/sustain-together-this-friday-1-00pm-et/1399):
>
> Hey all, We’re having our biweekly Sustain Together this week on Friday, at 1:00pm ET. The time was moved because of low attendance last week, because of a clash with the DEI working group, and because I won’t be around next week. As always, this is a space to talk about anything new in the open source ecosystem that we think relates to sustaining open source. This week we’re hoping to dig into the RFI that @coni2k highlighted and that I’ll be talking about at the Academic WG on Thursday, too. …